English
are reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell." "But what, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world?" "Due to what is done, brahmin, and due to what is not done. Thus, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world." "I do not understand the meaning of this brief statement of the good Gotama, its meaning not expounded in detail. May the good Gotama teach me the Dhamma in such a way that I may understand the meaning of this brief statement of the good Gotama, its meaning not expounded in detail." "Then, brahmin, listen, pay careful attention; I shall speak." "Yes, sir," the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Here, brahmin, for some, bodily misconduct is done, bodily good conduct is not done; verbal misconduct is done, verbal good conduct is not done; mental misconduct is done, mental good conduct is not done. Thus, brahmin, due to what is done and what is not done, thus some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. But here, brahmin, for some, bodily good conduct is done, bodily misconduct is not done; verbal good conduct is done, verbal misconduct is not done; mental good conduct is done, mental misconduct is not done. Thus, brahmin, due to what is done Some beings, by their own actions and inactions, after the body's breaking up, after death, reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world. “Excellent, Venerable Gotama… (etc.)… May Venerable Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts.” Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. To the venerable Ānanda, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: “Ānanda, I declare unequivocally that bad conduct in body, bad conduct in speech, and bad conduct in mind are not to be done.” “Venerable sir, when this bad conduct in body, bad conduct in speech, and bad conduct in mind, which the Blessed One has unequivocally declared not to be done, is done, what danger is to be expected?” “Ānanda, when this bad conduct in body, bad conduct in speech, and bad conduct in mind, which I have unequivocally declared not to be done, is done, this danger is to be expected: One blames oneself. The wise, having investigated, censure one. An evil reputation spreads. One dies bewildered. After the body’s breaking up, after death, one reappears in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Ānanda, when this bad conduct in body, bad conduct in speech, and bad conduct in mind, which I have unequivocally declared not to be done, is done, this danger is to be expected.” “Ānanda, I declare unequivocally that good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, and good conduct in mind are to be done.” “Venerable sir, when this good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, and good conduct in mind, which the Blessed One has unequivocally declared to be done, is done, what benefit is to be expected?” “Ānanda, when this good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, and good conduct in mind, which I have unequivocally declared to be done, is done, this benefit is to be expected: One does not blame oneself. The wise, having investigated, praise one. A good reputation spreads. he dies unconfused, and with the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. This, Ānanda, is the benefit to be expected when that which I have declared as certainly to be done— good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, good conduct in mind— is done.” 19. “Abandon unwholesome states, bhikkhus. It is possible, bhikkhus, to abandon unwholesome states. If it were not possible, bhikkhus, to abandon unwholesome states, I would not say, ‘Abandon unwholesome states, bhikkhus.’ But because, bhikkhus, it is possible to abandon unwholesome states, therefore I say, ‘Abandon unwholesome states, bhikkhus.’ And if, bhikkhus, abandoning unwholesome states were to lead to harm and suffering, I would not say, ‘Abandon unwholesome states, bhikkhus.’ But because, bhikkhus, abandoning unwholesome states leads to welfare and happiness, therefore I say, ‘Abandon unwholesome states, bhikkhus.’ Cultivate wholesome states, bhikkhus. It is possible, bhikkhus, to cultivate wholesome states. If it were not possible, bhikkhus, to cultivate wholesome states, I would not say, ‘Cultivate wholesome states, bhikkhus.’ But because, bhikkhus, it is possible to cultivate wholesome states, therefore I say, ‘Cultivate wholesome states, bhikkhus.’ And if, bhikkhus, cultivating wholesome states were to lead to harm and suffering, I would not say, ‘Cultivate wholesome states, bhikkhus.’ But because, bhikkhus, cultivating wholesome states leads to welfare and happiness, therefore I say, ‘Cultivate wholesome states, bhikkhus.’ ” 20. “These two things, bhikkhus, lead to the confusion and disappearance of the true Dhamma. Which two? Poorly arranged words and phrases, and meaning poorly interpreted. When words and phrases are poorly arranged, and the meaning is ill-understood. These two things, monks, conduce to the confusion and disappearance of the True Dhamma. 21. These two things, monks, conduce to the stability of the True Dhamma, to its non-confusion and non-disappearance. Which two? Well-arranged words and phrases, and the meaning well-understood. Of well-arranged words and phrases, monks, the meaning is also well-understood. These two things, monks, conduce to the stability of the True Dhamma, to its non-confusion and non-disappearance. The Second Chapter on Cases.